Port Wentworth council adopts regional hazard-mitigation plan and approves Benton Boulevard widening agreement

Port Wentworth’s City Council voted to adopt the Chatham County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Savannah to advance the Benton Boulevard/Highland widening project.

City Manager Steve Davis told the council the hazard-mitigation plan is a joint effort among Chatham County and its municipalities to coordinate emergency management planning, including evacuation procedures and storm preparedness. He said the Benton Boulevard widening is a SPLOST Tier One project scheduled to begin in October and is funded through contributions from the City of Port Wentworth, the City of Savannah and the State of Georgia.

When Councilman Thomas Barbee asked whether the project would expand the road from four lanes to six, Davis clarified the planned work will expand the specified segment from two lanes to four lanes and that GDOT and the project engineer have presented the project plans to the public. Davis said the city may consider hosting an additional public information meeting for residents.

The council recorded its approval as part of the consent agenda. No further timeline for construction milestones or contested opposition was recorded in the meeting minutes.

Next steps: the intergovernmental agreement will allow the project to proceed toward GDOT and design milestones; the council did not record additional local approvals or a construction schedule beyond the October start window mentioned by staff.